Bed and platen printer

ABSTRACT

A miniature printing press or device which is especially adapted for imprinting legends or other forms of nomenclature, with minute type, in the borders or other selected locations on photographs, postal cards and the like.

United States Patent 1191 Wulf [45] Mar. 4, 1975 [54] BED AND PLATEN PRINTER 1,l44,340 6/l9l5 Campbell lOl/316 1,281,063 10 91 [761 mentor; Kur1J .wu1f,3624 E. Montecno, 910,918 511932 PhOenlX, Al'lZ. 85018 2,065,690 12/1936 2,123,377 7/1938 [22] Flled. Mar. 21, 1973 2,343,953 3/1944 [2l] Appl. No.: 343,216

Primary Examiner-J. Reed Fisher [521 Us c1. 10i/316 1111/381 AfomeyAge'1Fff"'Wa"e F- B Lindsey [51| Int. C1. B411 1/02, B4lf l/06 15s] new Search 1111/287, 316, 317, 318, [571 ABSTRACT lOl/3191 321` DIG. 4, 31 4i 103, 381 A miniature printing press or device which is especially adapted for imprinting legends or other forms of [56] References Cited nomenclature, with minute type, in the borders or UNITED STATES PATENTS other selected locations on photographs, postal cards 402,999 5/1889 srmnahan 101/316 and the lke' 989,078 4/1911 Stewart lOl/3 SP l Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTE() NAR 4 975 SHEET l 0F 3 PATENTE] HAR H975 sum 3 of 3 fili-5 issu AND PLATEN PRINTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a miniature, portable, manually operable printing press or device for imprinting legends or other matter in desired locations on small items such as photographs and postal cards.

l. Field of the Invention This invention is particularly directed to a small, lightweight, portable device and its supporting apparatus, which may be quickly set up, adjusted and operated to imprint legends or other inscriptions on small items, such as photographs, postal cards and the like, in accurately spaced and aligned locations, with legible, minute letters and symbols.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many kinds of printing equipment have been utilized to imprint small items with legends, inscriptions and symbols of various types. Such equipment included devices from the simple rubber stamp to huge presses of various types, all well known in the art. Small portable and manually operable equipment, such as rubber stamps, at times produce poor quality and sometimes illegible characters. Additionally, it is difficult, if not impossible, to repeatedly imprint the same spot on similar articles. The heavy cumbersome, non-portable Ietter press equipment, although capable of producing high quality printing on a variety of items, are too expensive to purchase` operate and maintain, and lack the simplicity of operation required for individually imprinting small items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved miniature printing press or device is provided which includes the necessary components and supporting apparatus required for manually imprinting small items with legends or inscriptions of high quality in an expeditious manner.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a simplified miniature portable printing press which is inexpensive to construct, utilize and maintain, and employs few moving parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a miniature printing press designed for quickly interchanging its composing stick with another containing the set type for other legends or inscriptions to be imprinted on other items.

A further object of this invention is to provide a miniature printer which is designed to receive and hold repeatedly in the same position like size small items of a postcard or photoprint type.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a miniature printing press device of this invention showing its operating components in position for imprinting various small items.

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the printing device shown in FIG. l taken on the line 2--2.

FIG. 3 is a left end elevational view ofthe printing device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing its operating components in printing position with its type contacting the item to be imprinted.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing some of the operating components of the printing device in respective relation to each other before assembly.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view, showing the preferred form ofa composing stick used in association with the printing device shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3 illustrating the respective arrangement of its type, spacers and cover-plate.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIGS. l and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the several views of the drawings for a more detailed description of the construction, operation and other features ofthe invention by characters of reference, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 disclose a miniature printing device 10 comprising a lightweight base plate 11 which is mounted on several smooth surfaced feet or legs 12 to support the plate above and in parallel relation to the top surface of a table or desk upon which the device rests when in use.

The flat top surface 13 of base plate I l is provided with a thin, somewhat flexible, rubber or vinyl rectangular pad 14 which extends from the front to back of top surface 13 and which is as wide as required to support the various sized small items to be imprinted. As shown, pad 14 is cemented to surface 13 midway between the ends of the surface 13.

A pair of cylindrical support members 15 are arranged to extend upwardly from the top surface 13 of base plate ll in perpendicular relationship and are secured thereto by means of suitable machine screws 16. These screws extend upwardly through clearance holes in base plate I1 into mating threaded holes in the center of each of the support members l5. Support members 15 are located in aligned parallel relationship with the rear edge of base plate 1I and a sufficient distance in a longitudinal direction from the side edges of the rubber pad 13 to allow for the installation of a pair of stationary gauge guide members I7. These guide members are elevated to the desired height above the top surface 13 of base plate 1l by a pair of narrow metallic spacers 18 and a pair of slightly wider, smooth surfaced nylon spacers 19. Spacers 18 and 19 are secured in parallel relationship at each side of pad 14 by machine screws 20 threaded into holes in base plate lI. These spacers are provided with cutouts 2l which are designed to surround a portion of the cylindrical support members l5 as shown in FIGS. l and 6.

l A tie rod 22 rigidly connects support members I5 at their centers and extends in parallel relation with the top surface 13 of base plate l1. lts reduced end portions project through the support members where they are secured by suitable machine screws 23, thereby maintaining the vertical and parallel relationship of the support members l5 at all times.

A smooth surfaced shaft 24 is arranged to extend between support members lS adjacent their tops and in vertical parallel alignment with tie rod 22. Shaft 24 provides a bearing surface about which a lever or handle 25 is provided with a clearance h ole through which shaft 24 extends. A pair of collars 26, one on each side of the lever are mounted on shaft 24 for securing its position. Lever 25 is positioned at the center of shaft 24 and maintained in this position by means of collars 26l which Contact the sides of the lever and are rigidly secured to shaft 24 by set-screws 27. A flat spring 28 curved at one end is secured to the rear underside of lever 25 by rivets or screws so that its curved portion contacts the horizontally mounted tie-rod 22 at all times. When the lever is in its uppermost position, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the spring prevents any accidental or unwanted downward radial movement of the lever and consequent downward movement of other component parts associated therewith.

Located a predetermined distance forward from the axial centers of support members and in exact transverse and parallel alignment therewith are a pair of vertical guide pins 29. These pins are mounted securely on the top flat surface 13 of base plate l1 and project upwardly a distance slightly greater than the height of support members 15 for purposes hereinafter explained.

To prevent loosening or vertical misalignment of guide pins 29 in base plate 11, a circular flange member 30 is provided one for each pin. Each flange member 30 is provided with a centrally arranged circular extension 31 which is perpendicular to the flat level upper surface of flange member 30. This extension is adapted to fit in a mating vertical bore, drilled through base plate 11 in substantial vertical alignment with the vertical axis of each of the guide pins 29. The upper flat surface of flange member 30 is adapted to lie flush against the level undersurface of base plate 11, as shown in FlG. 2.

Flange member 30 and its extension 3l is provided with a central bore which is adapted to receive an extension 32 formed at the bottom end of guide pins 29 to Vsupport these guide pins in exact perpendicular relation to the top surface 13 of base plate 1l. This relationship is maintained by the use of several pins 33 which extend upwardly through flange 30 in press fit arrangement with bores in the base plate.

The vertical guide pins 29 have a smooth finished surface and are provided with a plurality of circumferential grease grooves 34, which may be filled with a small amount of suitable grease to allow for free and easy, unrestricted, up and down vertical sliding movement of slide member 35. Slide member 35 is adapted to be moved up and down in vertical relationship to guide pins 29 and in horizontal parallel relationship to the top surface 13 of base plate 11. This is accomplished by means of a pair of tubular extensions 36 mounted laterally hereto one at each of its ends for surrounding and sliding on guide pins 29. A rectangularly shaped tie-bar portion 37 of slide member 35 is moved in unison with extensions 36.

The top flat surface of tie-bar portion 37 is provided with several tapped holes which are adapted to line up and mate with a similar number of counter-sunk clearance holes in the top rear surface of a cover plate 38. Cover plate 38 projects forwardly beyond the front surface of tie-bar portion 37 and is secured with suitable machine screws 39 in horizontal relationship to the top surface of tie-bar portion 37. A bracket 42 is secured on the top surface of cover plate 38 at its center by machine screws 4l. This bracket is provided with a pair'of integral upstanding ears 43 which are spaced apart a distance sufficient to receive and pivotally support the bottom rounded end portion 44 ofa connecting link 45 by means of pin 46. i

The connecting link 45 is provided at its upper end with an integral bifurcated portion 47 which is adapted to straddle the side surfaces of operating lever 25. The bifurcated portion is pivotally connected to lever 25 by a pin 48 which extends therethrough and is connected so as to cause link 45 to assume a slight rearward angular relationship to the vertcal centerline of guide pins 29 when the operating lever 25 is in its uppermost radial or at rest position, as shown in FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings. lt should be evident therefore that when the operating lever 25 is pushed downwardly to imprint an item, the connecting link 45 assumes a vertical position downward thrust or force on cover plate 38 of slide member 35.

Slide member 35 is adapted to retain a composing stick 49, previously set with type 50 and suitable spacers 51 and by its movement brings the same in firm contact with the item to be imprinted.

Various types of composing sticks or type holders have been utilized in the printing art but most of these have been too heavy, bulky and expensive to be used in conjunction with minature printing presses. To overcome these disadvantages, a composing stick 49 has been provided which consists of a lightweight, rectangular shaped metal bar 49 which is considerably shorter in length than the longitudinal distance between the centers of a pair of horizontal tapped holes 52 in the vertical center of the front face of the slide members horizontal tie-bar 37. This arrangement provides the clearance necessary for the passage of a pair of thumb screws 53 past the ends of the composing stick 49 when the thumb screws are utilized for securing the front clamping plate 54, and hence the assembled composing stick in its proper position for printing against the front face of the tie-bar portion 37.

The metal bar 49' from which the composing stick is fabricated is milled out throughout the greater part of its length to provide a smooth flat wall surface 55 against which the type 50 and spacers 5l may be assembled in side to side relationship. The type and spacers are maintained in this relationship by means of a thumb screw 56 which is threaded through the vertical center of the composing stick bar 49' at one end only where it is adapted to contact the vertical surface of one of the spacers 51 thereby clamping the several spacers and type into one contiguous unit in the composing stick. The top surfaces of all the spacers and type are in level flush relationship with the top surface of bar 49' and the bottom or character containing ends of the type 50 extend slightly below the bottom surface of the bar.

Each of the forward projecting ends of the composing stick bar 49 are provided at their inner ends with milled notches or cutouts 57 which form smooth vertical surfaces 58 at each end of the bar. These vertical surfaces are in flush longitudinal alignment with the front surfaces of the spacers 51 and type 50 and are each provided with a pair of aligned, small dowel pins 59. These pins project forwardly of surfaces 38 and are adapted to be received in similarly spaced clearance holes 60 located at the ends of the composing stick cover plate 61. Cover plate 61 is slightly thicker than the depth of notches 57, so that when the composing stick with its set type, spacers and cover plate 61 is secured in its respective position in the slide member 35 by thumb screws 53, the cover plate 61 will exert pressure against the outer surfaces of spacers 5l and the edges of type 50. This action clamps these items tightly together during the printing operation.

When the disclosed printing press or device is utilized to imprint small items such as photographs or postal cards with legends and other inscriptions, it is desirable that some means be employed to accurately position and level the items to be imprinted. This is especially desirable when printing on photographs which at times are curved.

To accomplish this purpose, the miniature printer is provided with a gauge slide member 62 which comprises a horizontal, smooth surface slide plate 63. Slide plate 63 extends longitudinally above the rubber pad 14, from side to side, with its outer ends adapted to slide easily on the inwardly projecting top surfaces 64 of the nylon spacers 19 in cavities formed between the nylon spacer and the underside of the stationary gauge guide members 17. A pair of gauge slide extensions 65 are secured in lateral right angular relationship to the top surface of the horizontal slide plate 63 so that their outer edges abut the inner edges ofthe stationary gauge guide members 17 in sliding relationship therewith, as indicated at 66 in FIG. 6.

At the front edge of the top surface of horizontal slide plate 63 is attached a calibrated scale 67. Scale 67 is provided with an indicator 68 which is movable to various positions on the scale to assist in the proper placement of the items to be imprinted. It should be noted that the nylon spacer 19 upon which the horizontal slide plate 63 moves is ofa predetermined thickness greater than the thickness of the rubber pad 14. This condition provides a suitable clearance or opening 69 between the underside of slide plate 63 and the top surface of the rubber pad 14 in which the item to be imprinted may be inserted. The horizontal slide plate 63 tends to level or hold any such items which may have a tendency to curl up on the surface of the rubber pad. Operation With the desired type in the composing stick 49, and the composing stick installed and secured in slide member 35, a photograph or other small item is placed on the surface of rubber pad 14 in clearance space 69. The item rests on the pad beneath the underside of the horizontal slide plate 63 and arranged so that its front edge and space to be imprinted projects forwardly the desired distance from the front edge of the slide plate 63 and in parallel relationship therewith` The gauge slide member 62 is positioned laterally to allow for the desired spacing of the imprint on the surface of the item.

The longitudinal spacing of the legend or imprint on the item is easily and accurately accomplished by setting the slidable indicator 68 on the scale 67 so that its right edge is in vertical alignment with the right end of the set type in the composing stick 49. This action allows the operator to position the item with its right edge a sufficient distance beyond the edge of the indicator 68 to provide the desired accurate longitudinal spacing of the print on the item.

After having properly positioned the item to be imprinted, and seeing that the set type has been thoroughly inked, the operator applied light downward pressure on lever 25. Lever 25 through the connecting link 45 causes the slide member 35 and its integral tiebar 37 and associated composing stick 49 containing the set type to move vertically downwardly under pressure to contact the upper surface ofthe item. By virtue of the fact that the rubber pad 14 is flexible a clear and distinct impression is printed or impressed on thc` surface of the item.

lt should be understood that spring 28, bearing on tie-rod 22 resists the downward radial movement of lever 25 and its associated parts and thus tends to lift and return lever 25, slide member 35 and the associated composing stick and type from the surface of the imprinted item upon release of lever 25 by the opera tor. This action returns the lever and slide member to its locked uppermost position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, ready for imprinting another item.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A miniature printer comprising:

.a frame,

a horizontal positioned bolster plate fixed to said frame,

a pair of parallelly arranged spaced guide pins mounted on said plate in perpendicular arrangement thereto,

a platen mounted on said pins and arranged to extend therebetween for sliding movement therealong at right angles to said plate,

an actuating device on said frame operable for moving said platen during a printing operation into contact with said plate,

said actuating device comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said frame on a first shaft mounted on said plate parallel with said platen at a position spaced from said platen and said plate, and a link pivotally connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said platen,

said actuating device when moving said platen toward said plate first moving said link at an obtuse angle with the direction of movement of said platen and then sequentially transcending into movement axially with the direction of movement of said platen,

latch means mounted on one end of said lever and actuated by movement of said actuating device for engaging a second shaft mounted on said plate spaced from said first shaft between said plate and said first shaft and in perpendicular arrangement to said plate,

said latch means comprising a flat spring curved at one end for engaging at the outer periphery of said curved end said second shaft for holding said lever in a given position on said frame until said actuating device is again actuated toward said plate,

means mounted on said plate for firmly positioning an item to be impressed below said platen, and

a composing stick holding type settings detachably mounted on said platen for engaging the item mounted on said plate upon movement of said platen toward said plate.

' k lk 

1. A miniature printer comprising: a frame, a horizontal positioned bolster plate fixed to said frame, a pair of parallelly arranged spaced guide pins mounted on said plate in perpendicular arrangement thereto, a platen mounted on said pins and arranged to extend therebetween for sliding movement therealong at right angles to said plate, an actuating device on said frame operable for moving said platen during a printing operation into contact with said plate, said actuating device comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said frame on a first shaft mounted on said plate parallel with said platen at a position spaced from said platen and said plate, and a link pivotally connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said platen, said actuating device when moving said platen toward said plate first moving said link at an obtuse angle with the direction of movement of said platen and then sequentially transcending into movement axially with the direction of movement of said platen, latch means mounted on one end of said lever and actuated by movement of said actuating device for engaging a second shaft mounted on said plate spaced from said first shaft between said plate and said first shaft and in perpendicular arrangement to said plate, said latch means comprising a flat spring curved at one end for engaging at the outer periphery of said curved end said second shaft for holding said lever in a given position on said frame until said actuating device is again actuated toward said plate, means mounted on said plate for firmly positioning an item to be impressed below said platen, and a composing stick holding type settings detachably mounted on said platen for engaging the item mounted on said plate upon movement of said platen toward said plate. 